New chickens are 24 weeks old, how long until they warm up to me?

[sibbiesue]

I just started this whole backyard chicken thing with four Golden Comet sexlink hens. I love them, and they should start laying eggs soon. They seem very happy in their coop. But every time I go in to change the water/feed, they run to the other side of the coop. Will they warm up to me eventually? Is there anything I can do to speed up the process? I have tried getting them to eat mealworms or strawberries from my hand, but they won't.... Thank you, Michelle

 

[Poulet Mama]

It will take a little time. When I got my newest four hens, I set up a lawn chair and sat out there talking to them. I also bring them treats like tomatoes and my lettuce that is starting to bolt, along with the dried meal worms their previous owners gave them, but not from my hand. I just toss the lettuce on the floor and the other treats go in one of their free choice cups. They are still jumpy, but after a week and a half they are more excited to see me than afraid. One even crouches in front of me, now. (I give her a good back scratch for her trouble)

 

[five is my dog]

you should just keep doing what your doing. My chickens got used to me by seeing i was the one providing food. I let my chickens come to my porch and i will give them treats. soon they will come to you for food. every time my chickens see me outside they come running. feeding from your hands may help but i find giving them treats and food and letting them watch you put it down helps alot.

 

[Araucana16]

It'll take a little while. In the future, I would get chicks. That is half the beauty of raising chickens, watching them grow from tiny fluff balls to full grown hens/roosters. Plus they become very tame.
For now, just get them used to you. Don't scare them (trying to catch them, cleaning the coop with a hose when they are in the coop) and encourage them! Let them know that you are the one who brings them gifts of food! And like Poulet Mama suggested, drop it at your feet or throw it to them, then hope they come near! It's like using food as bait.

 

[MandalaMaMa]

Rather than feeding from my hand I use a blue lid off of a nut container from Costco. In the beginning I would just sit on the ground with my chicks and talk to them real softly and hold the dish out for them. My chicks now recognize anything blue as treats. We saw this when we put a cut off bucket in to raise their water container. They keep pecking at it. Was funny.

 

[MEMama3]

We have a green sand pail. Whoever wields the pail is their BFF. My son started using it to collect worms for them in. I started using it when the escaped and I had to lure them back. Now we put all treats in the green pail, so they'll even approach strangers if they have the pail. That being said, I only have two I can easily pick up and pet. The other four are happy to see us but want us to stay hands off.